Brief Description: Bent fuel line tubes from tanks to fuel selector.
Bending aluminum tubing is by far the most aggravating/annoying task so far in this project. I wasted 7' of tubing trying to fabricate these fuel tubes. Now I see why guys order the stainless steel braided hoses for their fuel lines! I just hope the small hand bends and pushing and shoving doesn't weaken these tubes.
I started by bending with the bender about a 4 1/2" forty-five degree bend on the end that connects to the fuel tank hoping I left enough outside the fueslage to connect to the tank fitting. I then shoved the other end of the 43" tube through the gromets and threaded it around the gear mount and through the snap bushings in the holes in the spar brackets. I used my hands to bend small angles to get it through. Upon reaching the fuel selector I used the bender in very tight quarters to make the 90 degree bends to the fuel selector fittings. Finally, I cut the tubes and flared the ends (after sliding on the sleeve and nut), again hoping I hadn't cut off too much. What you see in the pictures are my second attempts. I may have said a few curse words during this process!
Oh, yes, I forgot to install the boost pump assembly to check for clearance with those tubes. Sure enough I'm going to have to redo at least one of the tubes on the boost pump assembly. I've got to order more tubing. Don't say a word, just laugh!
Tubes connected to Andair fuel selector.
Passage through fuselage, around gear mount, through brackets to fuel selector.
